U.S. August factory orders rise 0.1%
SPY•U.S. factory orders rose 0.1% in August to $663.491 billion, matching economists’ forecast. Shipments were flat at $658.622 billion, while inventories rose 0.5% to $972.382 billion.
1. Orders and shipments
U.S. factory orders increased 0.1% in August, following a 0.8% gain in July. Durable goods orders fell 0.1%, while nondurable goods orders rose 0.3%. Shipments were unchanged, and inventories increased 0.5%.
2. Inventory ratio
The inventories-to-shipments ratio rose to 1.48 in August from 1.47 in July. The Commerce Department said semiconductor shipments are included in computers and electronic products and other applicable aggregate totals, rather than listed separately.
